The trick to catching a glimpse of a soccer superstar is to arm yourself with plenty of patience, loads of persistence and a smartphone. It also helps to be tall and have lots of time on your hands.

This I learned spending a few hours with Real Madrid fans on the sidewalk outside the Ritz-Carlton hotel on Sherbrooke St. Tuesday. The storied La Liga football club is in town for 10 days, training at the Montreal Impact’s Centre Nutrilait while on a North American pre-season tour.

Montreal may be a hockey town most of the year and the Canadiens a religion in this city, but while the hockey deities are on hiatus, soccer fans have come out in droves. Montrealers have been staking out the Ritz for hours — even days — in hopes of a fleeting view of Real Madrid royalty. Eden Hazard, perhaps, who just joined the team as a forward from Chelsea FC; or defender Marcelo, who, like many Brazilian players, is known simply by his first name; or Zinedine Zidane, the French legend who has returned again as coach, having previously clinched three straight UEFA Champions League trophies.

Emily Bressi is a hardcore fan — “a Madrista,” she calls herself.

While her love affair with Real Madrid started with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, the 18-year-old has stayed loyal since he decamped to Juventus.

“They have world-class players — it’s hard to pick a favourite,” she said.

Tuesday was her second day in front of the Ritz, and she will “of course” attend the open practice at Saputo Stadium Wednesday evening.

Sam Desantis is more of a soccer fan than a Real Madrid partisan.

“Milan is my favourite team,” said the 26-year-old.

Hazard is among his favourite players, so he was hoping to see the Belgian. Hazard did wave, he said, when disembarking from the bus with the rest of the team after the morning training session. Only Karim Benzema stopped to hastily sign a jersey passed between fan and player by the ever-present security guards.

“I like Zidane, I like (Keylor) Navas, I like the whole team,” said Eli Bauer, 18, another fan lying in wait. “The whole team is great.”

Zidane rejoined the team in Montreal Tuesday after having to return home when his brother died suddenly last week.

Whiling away the long hours between momentary appearances, the fans traded team gossip. Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez is reputed to be destined for Real rival Atletico Madrid. But Manchester United’s Paul Pogba is rumoured to be in talks.

Passing tourists paused to ask what all the fuss was about. The security guards amused themselves by teasing the devotees about who might come out next and when.

Thirteen-year-old Aziz Abdessalam played video games on his phone. He has been on Real Madrid’s trail for five days. On Monday, a free day for the team, he waited two hours outside the back of the Adidas store on Ste-Catherine St. and was rewarded with pictures of Marcelo, Benzema and Nacho, as well as their autographs on a soccer ball he had nestled in a backpack that he wore protectively on his front like he was carrying an infant.

Word spread that the team would be leaving again around 4 p.m. The ranks on the sidewalk swelled. People pressed in closer. Fans got their cameras and paraphernalia at the ready. The temperature climbed while my phone battery dwindled.

Real Madrid is stacked with stars, from Luka Modric to Luka Jovic, Sergio Ramos to Ferland Mendy. But if I could have my wish, it would be a snapshot of Hazard, a particular favourite in my soccer-mad household.

Anticipation mounted with each agonizing minute. More and more security staff milled around. Finally two buses arrived, inching toward the entrance of the Ritz through rush-hour traffic. Then two police officers on motorcycle showed up as an escort. It was time.

At about 4:45, the frenzy began.

Midfielder Toni Kroos was apparently elected to placate the waiting masses.

“Toni! Toni! Toni!” the fans called, pushing in closer, holding up their hats and jerseys and balls to be signed.

The other team members quickly filed out.

“Zizou! Zizou! Zizou!” the crowd shouted hopefully toward Zidane.

“Sergio!” they chanted at Ramos.

At that point I couldn’t see. I held my phone aloft and snapped off photos blindly while being elbowed and shoved.

Within seconds, they were gone. The crowd dispersed. The temperature dropped several degrees.

I checked my phone to find out what I’d just “seen.” If Hazard passed, it was impossible to identify him in my blurry, blocked photos.

But Bressi, who had handed her beloved Real Madrid cap forward, got it back with Kroos’s signature.

“Thank you!” the Madrista cried, elated. At least someone got what they came for.

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